14 pilots, 31 cabin crew failed alcohol test this year

Fourteen pilots and 31 cabin crew members have been found reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol till March this year, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said on Wednesday.

Of the total 14 pilots and 31 cabin crew who failed the pre-flight breath analyser test, a large number of pilots and cabin crew were of Jet Airways, he said in reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

This year between January and March, four pilots and 10 cabin crew of Jet Airways reported for duty under the influence of alcohol.

Two pilots and nine cabin crew of IndiGo airlines, three each pilots and cabin crew of Air India, two pilots and three cabin crew of SpiceJet, one pilot and three cabin crew of JetLite and two pilots and a cabin crew of Kingfisher Airlines failed the pre-flight breath analyser test.

No pilot of GoAir and Air India Express failed the alcohol test but one cabin crew each of both these airlines were caught reporting for duty at the airport under the influence of alcohol, Singh said in a written reply.

Last year in January and March, the number of pilots and cabin crew was four and 21 respectively.

Singh said the Civil Aviation regulator DGCA has amended the relevant Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) under which strict action will be taken like suspension of licences for three months for first offence and for five years in case they are tested positive during the pre flight medical examination for the second time.

For flights originating in India, this regulation requires 100 per cent of flight crew and 100 per cent of cabin crew being subjected to pre flight medical check.